DEL MAR CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
GOALS AND PRIORITIES SETTING WORKSHOP
MARCH 5, 2025
City of Del Mar Town Hall
1050 Camino del Mar, Del Mar, California
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Gaasterland called the meeting to order at 2:35 P.M.
ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Gaasterland; Deputy Mayor Tracy Martinez; and Councilmembers Dan Quirk (arrived at approximately 3:35 P.M.) and John Spelich
PUBLIC COMMENT
Mayor Gaasterland opened public oral communications and the following individuals spoke:
1) Ann Feeney
2) Joe Sullivan representing the Friends of Del Mar Parks 3) Betty Wheeler with a donation of time from Tom Neuman 4) Dolores Davies Jamison
Mayor Gaasterland closed public oral communication.
CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS
ITEM 1: 2025 CITY COUNCIL GOALS & PRIORITIES SETTING WORKSHOP An introduction to the 2025 City Council Goals and Priorities Workshop (Workshop) and overview of the City’s financial position was provided by City Manager Ashley Jones.
Items that have been or will be completed in FY 2024-2025 Planning and Community Development Director Karen Brindley, Public Works Director Job Bride, Administrative Services Manager Sarah Krietor, and Assistant City Manager Clem Brown provided overviews of the projects managed by their respective divisions/departments.
Council questions focused on how reference numbers for the work plan items were assigned and furniture donation program coming to City Council for consideration later this fiscal year.
Proposed FY2025-2026 and FY2026-2027 Proposed Work Plan Planning and Community Development Director Karen Brindley, Public Works Director Joe Bride, Administrative Services Manager Sarah Krietor, and Assistant City Manager Clem Brown provided overviews of the Tiers 1, 2, and 3 projects managed by their respective divisions/departments as further discussed below.
Tier 1 (Critical/Non-Discretionary) Work Plan Items
Council questions and discussion focused on the Jimmy Durante Boulevard Bluff Repair Project, the area of the bluff that is the City’s responsibility, and related upcoming City Council agenda item on April 7, 2025; clarification that the Jimmy Durante Boulevard Bike Lane Modification and Jimmy
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Durante Boulevard Bluff Repair Projects will be merged to limit community construction impacts; Mid Cycle Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Production Evaluation (6th Cycle Housing Element Program 2E); clarification regarding the Reasonable Accommodation Regulation Zone Code Amendment; status of the federal grant funding for the Riverpath Del Mar Phase 3 project; timing for bidding the Riverpath project and whether the City Council should direct staff to initiate bidding prior to the City receiving sufficient funding; and Council interest in better understanding the federal funding that is tied to City projects and activities as part of the upcoming budget process due to the current uncertainty surrounding federal funding.
Tier 2 (Important Items that Support City Operations/Values) Work Plan Items Council questions and discussion focused on Clean Energy Alliance (CEA) pivoting to battery proliferation; clarification that the Traffic and Parking Advisory Committee (TPAC) will review and provide a recommendation on the Citywide Curbside Management Program; whether the Red Curb Program Update should be a Tier 1 priority due to the related safety issues; status of the funding for the San Dieguito Drive Improvement Project; desire to prioritize the 29th Street Seawall and Beach Access project; clarification on what lower income housing the City’s Solar Energy Partnership Cycle would apply to; and interest in the City placing solar on City owned property/facilities.
Tier 3 (Discretionary/Non-Essential) Work Plan Items
Council questions and discussion focused on whether the California Municipal Treasurers Association (CMTA) investment policy certification is legally required; whether the City has an inventory of the existing plaques; clarification on the number of trees planted for the Del Mar Foundation Proposal to Plant 40 Trees in Del Mar item; and the City’s process for evaluating the purchase of electric vehicles to replace vehicles in the City’s fleet and desire to have staff update the Sustainability Advisory Committee (SAC) on this process.
Council consensus was to add the following items to the Tier 3 Work Plan: 1) evaluate increasing the City’s solar capacity on City owned property; and 2) look for opportunities to replace City gas-powered vehicles and equipment with electric as the opportunity arises.
Review of Prior Council Proposed Work Plan Items
Council discussed the list of previously considered Council proposed work plan items and discussed which items they would like to advance to FY 2025-2026 and FY 2026-2027 Work Plan. Council questions and discussion focused on electric incentive policies adopted by the City of Encinitas; cost of the purple pipe (recycled water) expansion project; consideration to create a City policy that seeks opportunities to expand purple pipe incrementally when possible; timing for the next steps on undergrounding financing; and Council interest in receiving a “debrief” on Utility Undergrounding District 1A when construction is complete.
Council consensus was to direct staff to continue to seek opportunities to expand purple pipe incrementally, when possible, with purple pipe expansion not being adding to the FY25- 26 & 26-27 Workplan.
IT WAS MOVED BY MAYOR GAASTERLAND AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER
SPELICH TO MOVE FORWARD WITH LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO INCENTIVIZE THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF ELECTRIFICATION SPECIFICALLY FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION OR
MAJOR REMODELS AND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH TURNING THE DESIGN REVIEW GUIDELINES INTO DESIGN REVIEW ORDINANCES. (VOTE 3-1, WITH COUNCILMEMBER
QUIRK OPPOSED)
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Ayes: Mayor Gaasterland, Deputy Mayor Tracy Martinez, and Councilmember John W. Spelich; Noes: Councilmember Quirk; Recuse: 0; Absent: 0; Abstain: 0.
Council consensus was to remove the following 2024 Council Proposed items from the list for future consideration: Shores Park Community Garden; 2050 Vision for Del Mar; reactivating the upper deck expansion project at the Powerhouse Community Center; and Cannabis/CBD Retail Sales/Stores Ordinance.
FY 2025-2026 Council Proposed Work Plan Items
LOSSAN Rail Realignment Lobbying
Council consensus was to direct staff to work with the City’s consultant Townsend Public Affairs to get cost estimates and more information about what would be involved in the LOSSAN Rail Realignment lobbying effort as proposed by Council.
Options to Obtain Resident Input on How/Whether to Continue Undergrounding Program Council consensus was to direct staff to gather more information about the various options (ballot measure, survey, etc.) for the Council to receive resident input on whether to continue with the Citywide Undergrounding Program.
City Facilities Gas Appliances Inventory
Council consensus was to add creation of a City Facilities Gas Appliances Inventory to the FY 2025- 2026 Citywide Work Plan as a Tier 3 Priority; to add the item to the Sustainability Advisory Committee (SAC) FY 25-26 Workplan; and for staff to work on a policy that prioritizes the purchase of electric appliances when possible for recommendation by SAC and consideration by the City Council.
Evaluation of City Committee Structure Revisions
Council consensus was to form a subcommittee of Mayor Gaasterland and Deputy Mayor Martinez to evaluate potential revisions to the City’s advisory committee structure with the goal of bringing any proposed changes to the City Council for consideration before the end of the calendar year with changes going into effect in 2026.
Evaluate & Streamline the Appeal Procedure for Administrative Approvals Council consensus was to direct staff to work with the City Attorney’s Office to evaluate the appeal procedure for administrative approvals with the goal of streamlining the process to put the appeal decision in front of the right decision making body.
Bike Lanes Safety Improvements
Council discussed looking for opportunities to improve bike lane safety when possible, such as through the existing Jimmy Durante Bike Lane Improvement workplan item.
Traffic Speed Calming
Council consensus was for staff to work with the City’s contract Traffic Engineer to weigh in on whether the City can reduce the speed by 5mph without a speed study; evaluate other traffic calming measures for major arterials; and if necessary, complete speed surveys which would allow the City to set the speed limit within 5 mph of the 85th percentile and then reduce it further by 5 mph.
Smoke Free City Signs to Enforcement Ordinance
Council consensus was for staff to explore potential enforcement options including following up with apartment complexes where people smoke outside; increasing enforcement activities by the City’s
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Beach and Community Patrol Officers (BCPO); partnership with Del Mar Village Association (DMVA); and consideration to place additional no smoking signage in key areas.
Cost Information for Public Works Projects
Council discussion focused on the cost information that is already available through the City’s competitive lump sum bidding process (complies with State law), legal requirements in the California Purchasing Code, whether the City could obtain per unit cost information related to the City’s Utility Undergrounding Project from its undergrounding consultant and how that information would be used in light of the lump sum bidding process used by the City in compliance with State law. There was also discussion about State law prohibiting municipalities from self-performing any work totaling more than $75,000 (California Contract Code Section 22030). There was no Council majority support for requesting per unit cost information from a consultant.
Invoice Review & Transparency for Large Contracts
Council discussion focused on the information already publicly available in the City’s adopted budget, List of Demands (which includes actual vendor and payment information) included on every City Council agenda for Council approval; and contracts over $60,000 that are approved by the City Council. There was no Council majority support to modify existing processes or to take any action on this item.
North Beach Garden
Council discussion focused on the basis and process for removal of the North Beach Garden; whether there is any type of replacement garden that could be installed by the City; California Coastal Commission’s (CCC) jurisdiction over the property where the garden is located; appreciation of the garden organizer for his efforts coordinating the removal and assistance identifying a date for completion of April 30, 2025. There is no action to be taken on this item.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Gaasterland adjourned the meeting at 6:18 P.M.
_______________________________________
Sarah Krietor, Administrative Services Manager/
City Clerk